Rams stun Wave in OT
New Canaan scores game’s final two goals to top rival Darien, advance to title game
DARIEN — It seems that playoff time is New Canaan’s time. Senior Jack Johnson scored off a pass from senior Boden Gammill 6:17 into overtime as the fourth-seeded Rams knocked off No. 1 Darien 2-1 in the FCIAC semifinals Thursday at the Darien Ice House.
New Canaan (7-6-1), which defeated the Blue Wave 4-3 for last season’s FCIAC championship, will try for a repeat title on Saturday. The Rams will be the visiting team with either No. 2 Fairfield or No. 3 Greenwich hosting. Darien finished its season with a 7-4-2 record. New Canaan had been struggling in the second half of the regular season, but has now won two playoff games, pushing its postseason winning streak to five.
The Rams received a great performance from sophomore goalie Beau Johnson, who made 31 saves and kept New Canaan in striking distance.
The Wave had the better opportunities in the first period, and had an 8-2 advantage in shots, but New Canaan emerged unscathed.
That trend continued until late in the second period when Darien finally found the net 10 seconds into a power play.
Teddy Dyer redirected a shot by Sam Erickson for the goal with 2:40 remaining in the period.
The Wave had a great chance to go up by two midway through the third.
Darien’s Jamison Moore dove for the puck near the left pipe and he and New Canaan’s Cam Wietfeldt slid into the wall, also taking down Beau Johnson in the process.
Erickson scooped up the puck and came around the net to the open side, but New Canaan’s Boden Gammill got back to knock it away and keep the deficit at one.
Less than a minute later, New Canaan’s Jack Eccleston found the net unassisted and tied the score at 1-1 with 6:25 on the clock.
On the winning play in overtime, Gammill fought through a pair of Darien players to control the puck before zipping a pass out to Jack Johnson for the goal.